Reunion
by ameristar
Summary: Set 5 years after college graduation. Claire and Gretchen meet by chance, and realize while some things have changed, a lot has stayed the same.
1. Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

Things happened too fast for me to think about it. I know I should have been paying attention to my shopping--trying to find my mother a gift, but when I saw her walk past the window of the gift shop I could think of nothing else but her. She looked exactly the same as she did when I met her 5 years ago--short, tan, and blonde with those beautiful eyes that were somewhere between blue and green. She didn't turn her head to look at me; she didn't even notice. I dropped the neck pillow I was thinking about getting my mom and walked right out after her.

"Claire?" I was a little too loud I guess, because other people turned around to look at me too. She paused mid step, and turned around with a huge smile on her face. My heart jumped in my chest, and I couldn't help but gasp.

"Gretchen! Oh my god!" She ran towards me arms extended, and with an adorable squeal hugged me as tight as she could. I ignored the pain. She had obviously been working out since I'd last seen her. I laughed nervously as she held on a little too long and I nervously brushed my hair back from my face.

"I figured that was you. You look... well you look the same." Claire's smile didn't falter and she just took my hand and lead me to a bench nearby.

"You have to tell me everything. I've missed you! What are you doing now? Forensics right?" I cringed at the pang it caused in my stomach.

"No. I'm--well I'm married now." The frown on her face was instant, and I couldn't help but feel ashamed for some reason. She was disappointed in me.

"Well...what's his name?" I looked over at a pizza stand so I didn't have took look into her eyes.

"Robert. He's an engineer. We met just after graduation." I turned my head back to Claire, and met her concerned gaze.

"You don't sound too happy about that." I quickly realized how much I'd admitted just from the sound of my voice. I'd forgotten how well Claire could read me.

"We're sort of separated now. Things just weren't working out between us. Compatibility issues I guess?" Claire opened her mouth to say something, then closed it before she could get the words out. She shook her head slightly and took my hand in hers. It was warm, and it made my whole arm tingle. I couldn't believe how fresh my feelings for her still were after all these years. I looked down at our hands, and she misinterpreted the action.

"Sorry." Claire mumbled as she pulled her hand off of mine.

"Why?" I responded. Claire's eyes widened a little in surprise.

"I--I don't know." She started pulling at her purse strap and looking around.

"Am I keeping you from something?"

"What? No, no. It's just... it's been awhile since I've seen someone who knew me so long ago. People have kinda faded out of my life since then. I've gotten accustomed to being alone." I frowned as she bit her lip, and for maybe a second I saw her eyes get watery before she blinked a few times.

"I'm so sorry Claire. Listen, do you want to go somewhere... you know, more private than the food court of the mall? We could go to my apartment or something. You look like you need to talk." Claire smiled shyly at me.

"Sure, okay. I mean I'm only in town for a week so I might as well enjoy some of it." I stood up at the same time she did, and we slowly made our way towards the parking lot.

"Claire?" I asked. "I'm glad I ran into you today. I've really needed someone around who didn't judge me about the separation. All my friends are really just friends of Robert, and he's made me out to be the bad guy in the whole situation."

Claire nudged me and smiled.

"Nah. You're one of the good guys."

When we got to my apartment and finally settled down, the quietness of my suddenly small apartment began to make me a little fidgety.

"You want some water?" I asked, nervously.

"Sure." I walked to the kitchen, and once I was safely out of her view, I breathed out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I poured water into the glass, and walked back to her, handing the water to her as I sat down a little further away from her on the couch. I think she noticed, because she had an expression on her face that made her look like she had been stung by something.

"Uh... so why don't you have friends anymore?" I asked, clasping my hands together in an effort to look relaxed.

"Well, I guess I got tired of keeping secrets. It's just easier when I don't have to try and cover up everything all the time." There was something she wasn't telling me, but I didn't press the issue.

"You could have always called me."

"True. I just thought maybe you wanted to get away from me and my crazy life. You know, live normally." She turned her head a little as she spoke.

"I'd much rather have had you than a normal life." The words slipped out on their on volition. I couldn't take them back. She seemed slightly taken aback, but not disgusted like I'd imagined she would be. Claire had a weird look on her face, and it made me more nervous than I already was. She sat there, looking intensely into my eyes and I could feel the sexual tension fill the room almost instantly.

"I wanted you to be happy." She sounded unsure, and her voice was different. What happened next wasn't sudden. When she leaned over to kiss me she was looking me dead in the eyes, and she put her hands on my face before slowly and painfully pulling my head towards hers. Lips crushed against lips and I felt my heart explode in my chest as our tongues met for the first time. Things got intense as minutes passed, and I very nearly lost control, but I hit the breaks before Claire could make the mistake I knew in her heart of hearts she didn't want to make. She looked back at me with a very surprised look on her face. Her lips were swollen, and her pupils were dilated.

"What..."

"We shouldn't do this. You don't want this." I stood up, quickly stepping away from her like she was trying to stab me. She looked like a deer in headlights, her eyes wildly searching my face.

"What are you talking about Gretchen? I've always wanted this." Her lip quivered a little as she stood up on shaky legs.

"Claire, I'm sorry. I just... I thought..."

"I guess this was for the best. I mean, who am I kidding? I shouldn't expect you to want me, especially after all these years." She began to walk towards the door, but I quickly gripped her shoulders.

"Stay. Please." I put my resolve face on and tried to will her into doing what I wanted.

"Really?" I melted at the look on her face, and I guess she knew my love was still there, because she smiled through her tears.

"You don't have to spend the night at some shitty motel. You can have my bed and I'll sleep on the couch." Her gaze got intense again, and I felt heat run down the front of my body.

"I'd rather you stayed with me in your bed." I blinked, processing what she was saying.

"Is that what you want? It's really no big deal." Her lips silenced me and I realized I had nothing I needed to say anyway. She pulled away and wrapped her arms around me. She started shaking, and suddenly I realized she was crying.

"Oh Claire what's wrong?" I put my hand to her head like it was second nature, and her tears wetted my silk blouse. She sniffled, not pulling her head away.

"I just missed you. You don't know how long I've thought about this. Being with you." My chest tightened at the thought.

"Really?" She looked back at me, completely surprised.

"Couldn't you tell?" She replied. I laughed, startling her.

"No. I really really couldn't." She pulled back with a look on her face I hadn't seen before.

"Well now you know. You think I could drive back to my hotel room and get a few things? I mean, if I'm gonna stay the night I need my toothbrush and stuff."

"Oh yeah! No, that's no problem at all. I'll be right here." She smiled, running her finger down my chest lazily. To say I was aroused would be the understatement of the century, if not all time.

"Kay. I'll be back soon." And she was gone. I stood there for maybe three minutes, trying to figure out what just happened. I ran a shaky hand through my hair and sighed. In just an hour or so we'd gone from old friends to something way more than I'd ever hoped for. I looked at the clock. It was 5:00.

"Wow." I mumbled to myself, sitting on the couch to wait for her. Time went by a little quicker than I'd imagined.

It was about 30 minutes later when she knocked on the door, carrying her essentials and smiling meekly at me. I showed her to my room, and she looked around at the various decorations that I'd put on the walls so it didn't feel so much like a dingy apartment but my new home. She smiled genuinely, and turned towards me.

"This is cute. Reminds me of the dorm." I smiled and took one of her hands.

"You can still go you know, no pressure." She sighed, looking at our entwined fingers.

"You're still as insecure as I remember." She reached forward and brushed hair off of my face, hand lingering a little longer than necessary.

"Claire, I still love you." Her face softened.

"I know." I didn't expect her to say it back, but it still stung a little none the less. She walked over to the bed and sat down, scooting herself to the head of the bed. She patted the place next to her, and I complied, sitting down next to her.

"Make love to me." She whispered. I breathed in sharply, and leaned over to kiss her. We kissed with as much passion as we had, putting 5 years of pent up emotions and sexual frustration into our kisses. She ran her hands up my back as I laid over her, and our hips were pressed against each other through our jeans. I had never felt something so right, so necessary as what we were doing. Robert meant nothing, and I absolutely forgot him in that moment. We parted, and she kissed along my jaw before leaning back to look at me. She said nothing, but she was very transparent at that moment. She loved me. She didn't have to say it for me to know. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. The hands that were running up my back reached my bra strap and began to undo it. I gasped, a little surprised at her sudden boldness, but let her pull my blouse off, raising my arms as she pulled it over my head and tossed it on the floor. She instantly had her hands on my breasts, and I hissed at the sensation of her kneading and caressing them. It was obvious that I wasn't the first time she'd ever done this to a woman.

Things went fast from there. Within minutes we were both nude, grinding our hips together in heated passion. Our tongues clashed against each other in our mouths, and I could feel her need against me. I snaked my hand down, and laid my hand over her mound. She moaned and that was all it took. I had my fingers in her suddenly and she was almost a different person. Her hands were gripping at the bed covers as she squirmed in pleasure. She opened her eyes to look at me, and I felt her hand caressing me slowly and deliberately. I spasmed at the sensation, and furiously continued pounding against her with my fingers.

"God!" She cried, orgasming against me with a sudden jolt. I pulled my fingers out and focused on the pleasure she was providing me. She was too good at this, but I quickly dashed the thought from my mind. The build up quickly began to spill over, and I came. She continued her ministrations for a minute, and then pulled her hand away. What happened next absolutely astounded me. She pulled her hand up to her face and licked her fingers clean. I almost died. I pounced on her, kissing her hard. She returned the favor, and I tasted myself on her lips. We pulled away, and she laid her arm over my torso and scooted close to me, laying her head against my chest.

"Can we lay here forever?" She asked quietly.

"We can try."


	2. Chapter 2: Doubt

Things should have been awkward the next morning--in fact I _expected_ it to be awkward, but what happened was completely unpredictable. The world wasn't over, nobody died, and Robert didn't come barging in the door screaming like someone would in a soap opera. I looked over, and she was sound asleep. It was eight in the morning on a Sunday, and I was happy. It's an unusual feeling after being divorced; waking up and being glad you did. I was watching the woman of my dreams sound asleep and she was in _my _bed.

"I know you're watching me." I heard her mumble.

"Oh. That's creepy right?" She turned over with a goofy smile.

"Depends. How long were you staring?" She had a teasing tone in her voice, and I was a little relieved that she wasn't running out the door regretting everything. I guess the look on my face showed what I was thinking.

"Hey. What we did was right, okay?" She ran her fingers gently across my cheek. I put my hand over hers. It was what I needed to hear.

While we got ready, I had to keep looking over at her just to be sure I wasn't dreaming or imagining things. She brushed her teeth and showered, just like she'd been doing that in my apartment for years. She blew dry her hair, and pretended I wasn't openly gawking at her.

"I could get used to this," she said quietly, all the while looking at me to gauge my reaction.

"Definitely." Was all I could think of to reply at that moment. I was caught up in the moment, and I felt like I was gonna suffocate from holding my breath.

"I'm hungry. You got any cereal?" She finally said, breaking the silence.

"Oh yeah! I can make you something, if you like. I make some mean french toast." She flashed a smile at me, and walked toward the kitchen. I followed close behind. Twenty minutes later, after I'd made us both breakfast, she and I sat there eating quietly, relishing the moment.

"So what's on the agenda?" Claire said after we had both finished.

"If you don't mind, I actually have to do some errands. I mean I can put it off, if you want." Claire was of a hell of a good reason to procrastinate, really.

"No, I can do that. Some normal, everyday, regular people stuff."

"Yeah. People stuff." I had forgotten how cute she phrased things.

You'd be surprised how interesting mundane things become when you're with somebody you're completely in love with. Of course I ended up with more food than I really needed, courtesy of Claire's sweet tooth, but I didn't mind. In a way I enjoyed fooling myself into believing she was living with me, and this was what we did all the time. When we got to the checkout boy, I suppose we were very obvious, because he looked up at us repeatedly as he was ringing up the various items. It's like he had never seen two girls together before. I was kinda glad he noticed though; I wanted to scream over the loudspeaker that we were together, finally, after 5 long years of painful non communication.

When we made the drive back to my place, Claire was strangely quiet. It was unsettling--she had been so talkative and lively earlier; now she seemed pensive. After a few minutes I couldn't take it anymore and broke the silence.

"So the other day we didn't really talk as much as I would have wanted to. Ya know because of...what happened." Claire was looking out the window, and I felt suddenly separate from her.

"Yeah. I guess sex is easier than sharing." I blinked a couple times. I knew she didn't have sex with me just to keep from talking about her problems, but it bothered me just the same.

"So...does your father know?" She turned to look at me, a quizzical look on her face.

"About what?" she asked, confused.

"About your--your _preferences._"

"Oh. Yeah, he's aware of it. I mean after I graduated I started bringing some girls to dinner and after awhile he kinda put two and two together." Girls? As in plural? My heart started pounding in my chest, and a chill suddenly came over my body. I knew she'd had experience, that much was obvious, but I didn't know she made it a habit.

"Okay." Silence filled the black Corolla I was driving. Deafening, heart breaking silence.

"So it's my turn to ask a question." She stated, after I put the car in park in front of the apartment building. "What does your _husband _know?" The words came out of her mouth like it was vinegar. I sat there in the car, stunned.

"Nothing. Doesn't matter though, not like he gives a shit. He's the one that cheated. Technically since we're separated what we did wasn't cheating...was it?"

She sighed, opening the car door.

"I don't know." she said as she stepped out of the car. We both walked to the door and as I put the key in the lock, she sighed again and brushed back her hair with her hand. I stepped in, and once we were inside, I turned to face her.

"Okay, what's with this? You were so happy and wonderful this morning, and now you act like you can't stand to be with me. What did I do?" The tears started to well in my eyes but I refused to cry. Her face softened, and she put her hand on my arm.

"Gretchen, I want to ask you a question. I want you to be honest, please."

"What?" I said, frustrated.

"Do you think this will last? This...thing we're doing." She gestured her hand back and forth between us.

"I hope so." My voice was pathetic and wobbly sounding. She got a look of relief on her face, and sat down on my couch, putting her head in her hands.

"Good. Because I'm honest to God completely in love with you and I don't know what in the world I would do if this didn't mean to you what it means to me." I was dumbfounded.

"Why in the world would you think that? I love you, Claire! That hasn't changed for half a decade!" She lifted her head up, her face unreadable.

"I want to move in with you." She stated suddenly, voice filled with fear and weariness.


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations

"Woah. Claire, I don't think..." She didn't let me finish.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to say it, you don't have to say yes." She looked utterly defeated, and I couldn't help but feel awful.

"I wish it were that easy," I replied sullenly, "but I'm in the middle of a divorce. I don't want to get you entangled in all that." She nodded, quietly.

"I think I'm gonna go." She said quietly. I got down on my knees in front of her and lifted her head up to look into her eyes.

"Please. Don't leave. That's the last thing I want you to do."

"My father doesn't talk to me much anymore." Claire said after a few minutes of us sitting on the couch together. I was shocked; Mr. Bennet seemed like he would have accepted anything his daughter told him, but he couldn't accept the fact that Claire liked girls? My mouth hung open as I tried to come up with what to say.

"Is that why you want to live with me?" I replied slowly. She sighed, and laid her head on the back of the couch.

"Sort of. There's nothing for me in California. At least here I have somebody." I bit my lip, suddenly feeling conflicted.

"If you want to stay with me for awhile longer than a week, you're welcome to stay with me." She turned her head, eyes full of hope that twisted my heart just a little.

"I'd like that." She replied softly. She leaned her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her, and there was no better place to be at that moment.

Around lunch time things had gotten a lot calmer, and we were watching television and eating sandwiches when the phone rang.

"Let me get that." I said, standing up to answer. I picked up the phone to be greeted by the last person on earth I wanted to hear from.

"Hello Gretchen." I grunted, upset that Robert had to ruin a pretty good moment between Claire and I.

"What do you want, Robert." I replied tersely.

"I was just wondering if you could come by and finish picking up your things. I've also got some papers to sign." He sounded irritated, which I was used to.

"Can we do this some other time?" I said lowly, aware that Claire was watching me.

"Unless you want me to throw out these family albums you forgot, no." That was Robert--stubborn and boorish like usual. I sighed.

"Fine Robert. I'll be over in a few minutes." I set the receiver down, and turned to look at Claire nervously.

"Guess where I have to go." I said sardonically. She stood up and turned the television off.

"I want to go." She said, determination settling in her features. I started to shake my head.

"I don't really think that's a good idea." She brushed it off, and picked up her purse.

"Nope. I'm part of your life now, and I'm going to see your asshole husband face to face." It felt kind of satisfying to hear her say that, but I felt the dread creeping when I imagined just exactly what she'd do when she finally saw him.

"I guess I can't say no then." She nodded. I picked up my things, and we headed out the door.

I gripped the steering wheel with sweaty hands while we pulled into the driveway to what used to be my home. Claire looked at it with interest, I suppose trying to imagine me living in there with someone that wasn't her.

"You ready?" I said, nervously. Since the separation with Robert, I always got anxious when I had to see him. There was a reason, but I wasn't about to tell Claire about what transpired right before she met him.

"Yeah. More than ready. Let's see this asshole." I took a deep breath and got out of the car. We got to the door and I rang the doorbell. Within a few moments he pulled the door open. Claire balked. I didn't really tell her what Robert looked like. He was what you'd call the typical man's man--tall, blonde short cropped hair, very attractive and obviously athletic. I kinda went for someone who would be the "perfect" husband. My family was pleased when they met him, and I suppose I felt pressured to say yes when he proposed to me awhile later. Robert pointed at Claire rudely.

"Who's this?" He said disinterested. Claire replied, anger in her eyes.

"The name is Claire. Gretchen's..." she looked at the pleading expression on my face. "friend." She spit the words out, obviously disgusted that she had to lie.

"Whatever. Come get your shit, Gretch. The papers are on the kitchen table." Robert said, classy as always. We walked in, and Claire made sure to put plenty of space between them as she walked through the doorway. I picked up the two family albums I'd somehow forgotten, and picked up the papers. They were divorce papers, and I signed them without even thinking about it. Claire smiled, satisfied.

"I didn't know you had any more friends, Gretch." Robert said, looking at Claire with obvious contempt.

"She's a friend from college." I replied, walking towards the door so he didn't have time to respond. Robert laughed, and said exactly what I didn't want him to say at that moment.

"Ahhh I see now. Your little_ girlfriend_ from college has come back to see you, huh?" He had a smug look on his face, which I wanted to punch off his mouth. Claire almost growled in response.

"Yeah. Gretchen found somebody who actually cares about someone besides themselves." Robert stepped forward, a glint in his eye.

"You better tell your friend to watch her mouth." He drawled; his accent always got a little thicker when he was really angry. When he was ready to fight.

"Claire, please. Let's just go." Claire glared at him, but walked towards the door with me. We hurriedly walked toward my car when I heard him yell from the door, "Have fun with your girlfriend, dyke!" I recoiled from the word, and Claire almost turned back. I have no idea what she would have done, she was completely dwarfed standing next to him, but I knew if I didn't convince her to get in the car she'd do something stupid.

"Please Claire." She grunted angrily and got into the car.

The ride home was tough. Claire radiated anger, saying words like "asshole" and "son of a bitch" under her breath.

"I can see why you're divorcing him, now. It's pretty damn obvious." I kept my eyes on the road, hiding my shame.

"I wanted to fool myself into thinking I could have a typical life." I said, controlling my voice. She looked at me, and I knew the thought had occurred to her.

"He didn't...hit you did he?" I blinked a few times, and didn't respond.

"That mother fucker. If I had a gun, I'd shoot him right between the eyes!" My hands were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard.

"It's over now, Claire. He can't hurt me anymore." All that bravado I'd worked so hard to maintain crumbled, and I tried to keep myself from crying as I drove home.


	4. Chapter 4: Normal

**Author's note: Half way through this chapter it goes into Claire's POV. No sex in this chapter, as I want to develop some kind of plotline, but don't fret. The first chapter is not going to be the last time they're together. **

We spent the rest of the day not talking about it. Once again I stayed up later than she had, thinking about what had happened. I felt such shame about Robert. I knew she must have wondered why in the world I was with him, why I tried to love him when it was clear that I still felt so strongly for her. This time she didn't feel me staring at her, at least she didn't act like she noticed. She appeared to be sound asleep, and I stared at the back of her neck. She went to sleep with her body faced away from me, and it hurt me a little. She was scared to touch me. Scared that I might break into pieces. I turned on my back, and willed myself to sleep.

The next morning I put on a brave face and made her breakfast. She slept a little longer than I did, so I fried bacon and eggs and put the plate on the table, hoping the smell would entice her to awaken. Didn't take long before she came out, half asleep in just her underwear and a Nirvana t-shirt. I laughed at her hair, sticking up in all directions, and she smiled sleepily at me.

"You look so cute right now." I said as she sat down at the table and began to eat.

"I'm sure I do." She said before she took a bite of bacon. After she finished eating, which didn't take too long, she looked at me with a curious expression on her face.

"So what's on the agenda today?" She said after a couple seconds. I frowned.

"I have to work." She looked surprised for a second, and then smiled sheepishly.

"Oh. I forgot it was Monday." She said quietly. I looked at her apologetically.

"Where do you work?" She said after a moment.

"I work at a bank right now as a loan officer." She nodded, and then sat back in her chair.

"I guess I could do what I came here to do in the first place. There a kid who can make people hallucinate that I was sent here to find." It had been a long time since I'd ever thought of "specials". There were a few people I'd see who just stood out; they seemed more on guard, more alert. But all in all the only people with abilities I'd encountered was when I was in college with Claire.

"Bag and tag?" I replied hesitantly. She shrugged.

"My father started a new company, and now I do freelance work every once in awhile." Suddenly it dawned on me.

"So you coming here, it was all just because of work?" She blinked a few times in shock, and back peddled quickly.

"I knew there was a possibility I'd run into you, but I wasn't sure. I took the job because I thought I could look you up in the phone book or something." She looked a little ashamed that she hadn't come to Austin just to see me. I don't know why I even took issue with this, it had been five years since we graduated. What was I expecting?

"It's alright. I better go get changed and go to work." I said after I took a look at the clock.

"Oh yeah, go get ready." After I got dressed, I walked thoughtlessly toward the door, and I heard her cough. I turned around. She walked up to me nervously.

"Have a good day at work." She said quietly before kissing me on the cheek. I ran my fingers down her face lovingly, and then left.

Claire P.O.V.

* * *

I watched as she shut the door, and sighed. I was a mess. I walked over to her room and looked at my phone on the dresser. Five messages. I rolled my eyes and got some clothes from my duffle bag. As I fixed my hair I looked down at what she had on her bathroom counter. There was make up, and some perfume, but besides that it was pretty sparse. She doesn't really take care of herself, I concluded. I swallowed and walked to the front door, locking it as I walked out. My taser was in the car. I took out my phone and listened to the voicemail.

"Claire, I haven't heard from you in awhile--" Delete.

"I hope you've taken care of this Travis situation--" Delete.

"Claire? It's your mother. Noah is worried that you haven't answered your--" Delete. I hit seven two more times and closed the phone. Little baby Claire has to call her daddy everyday. You can't trust her by herself, she might do something risky. I got in the car and drove out, looking at the paper work on this kid, Travis. Fourteen. I tisked aloud. What was I doing at fourteen? I couldn't even remember. It's funny, I'm going to live forever, and I probably won't remember most of it. The days blur together. That is, when I'm not with Gretchen. As I got on I-35 my mind flashed to just what I'd done without her. I was aimless, getting into trouble, making friends with other evolves that were dangerous to be around. Acid emitting, fire breathing, clawed freaks that I found I could relate to. They were eventually killed by Sylar, but it was fun while it lasted. After I realized everyone I ever loved was doomed to be killed, I stopped seeking out friends. Now I was all about work, finding people like me and asking them questions. We didn't do things the way my father used to years ago. We were gentler, something I insisted. We took blood samples and tried to talk to them like human beings. We still tasered them and wiped their memories--my father still was doing things the old way. I begged for him to stop doing things that way, but he wouldn't listen. Too dangerous, he said.

I crossed into the small suburban community where the boy lived, and looked at my GPS. He was a few blocks down. I parked far enough away to not look conspicuous and walked toward his house. When I got to the house and looked in the window, I saw him, playing video games before school. I shook my head to myself. I had to snag him before the bus came for him that morning. I walked back to my car, and waited. In thirty minutes or so, I saw him step outside. I got out, and once he was standing nearby I closed my eyes for a second and pulled the trigger to the taser gun. He fell quickly, and I rushed to grab him before he hit the concrete. I put him in the car, and drove to the address I had been given. It was the Austin location of The New Company and Rene was waiting for me. I drove fast enough, but I heard him stir behind me. I pulled up to the discreet brick building, and was met by a couple of Company men who took him to the "interview room". Rene was in the hallway.

"Hey." I replied, knowing exactly what he was gonna say.

"Your father has been worried." He replied tersely, quickly getting to the point.

"I know. He checks on me too much. I mean, I'm invincible, what's the worst that could happen?" I smile, but his face remained serious.

"He's concerned." He replied, and I put on a poker face.

"About what?" He looked conflicted, and quietly continued.

"He knows she's here." I fought back the anger rising in the pit of my stomach.

"Why the fuck does he care? I'm twenty seven for Christ's sake."

"To him you will always be his little girl." He countered. "He just wants you to live a normal life. One that will keep you from being noticed." I grit my teeth.

"That's fucking stupid. Tell him I'm staying an extra week, and you can tell him the truth or you can lie. I don't care." He looked at me intensely, and then his face softened.

"I do not agree with his opinions, but he does love you." I scoffed.

"I wish he'd love me less."


	5. Chapter 5: Years Ago

**Author's Note: Get used to Claire's P.O.V., because it will stay that way for the next few chapters. Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Comments are appreciated. Also, don't give up on Claichen or Glaire or whatever they're called now. I have faith that the writers at Heroes aren't that stupid. No guarantees though...:p **

********Five years ago********

When I saw him holding that picture of Gretchen, I knew the jig was up. I had the urge to run out of the apartment, maybe bust out a window and make my escape screaming at the top of my lungs. But I just stood there in the doorway to my room. He turned around slowly, with a look on his face that showed he was debating with himself about what to say. I swallowed, but my mouth was dry.

"Claire." He said slowly. I shouldn't have left that picture laying on my dresser, in fact when I laid it there the night before the thought flashed to my head, but I ignored it. I didn't think that he would walk in the room looking for something, see the picture, and read the words scrawled on the back that I'd read so many times before.

_Claire, _

_I'll always keep you in my heart. What we had was so special, so perfect, I would rather die than forget you. _

_ I love you always,_

_Gretchen Berg_

"Dad, it's not what you..." I couldn't finish the words. I just didn't want to say them. He sighed, and handed the picture to me as he walked out of the room.

"Just don't tell your mother." I blinked, in utter shock at his reaction.

"You're not gonna say anything?" I sputtered.

"What is there to say? She's not in your life anymore, and it was college. I expected you to experiment." He spoke as if the words he was saying were sour tasting. My eyes welled up, even though I willed them not to.

"She wasn't an experiment." I muttered to myself, watching as he walked to his bedroom and closed the door. He closed it quietly, not slamming it like any other father would have done at that moment, and that made it worse. He wasn't reacting. He was shutting down.

I looked down at the picture. It was a picture taken by me on our freshman year, a couple weeks after we'd first started dating. Gretchen's face was innocent and unassuming, eating her slice of apple while she smiled big at the camera. I winced as the thought of the last time we'd made love flashed through my mind. It was tears mixed with kisses, hands roaming each others' bodies so we could memorize every curve and dip in our skin. It wasn't about the sexual gratification at that moment, it was us clinging onto each other as our lives were ripping us in different directions. We'd both decided that after graduation we'd make a clean break--that way it didn't hurt as bad. It wasn't a very good plan, but what else were we going to do? Gretchen had dreams and aspirations, and I was just going to get in the way. She didn't want to hear that, but we both knew it was true. What was I going to do with my degree anyway? I was just getting one because it was the "normal" thing to do. Freaks like me are made to take out other freaks who are dangerous. Bad guys who would eat people like Gretchen alive. I was going to be fighting for her. At least that's how I justified it. I didn't know I was going to feel so alone without her.

When I first met Cassie, she was about to melt someone's face off.

"Hey!" I screamed from the back exit of the club. I had seen them rush out of the back door earlier, and followed them. She whipped her head around, and let go of the horrified man's collar.

"You just made a really bad choice, bitch." She hissed, walking toward me with hands covered in some kind of goo. She didn't get far. I tazed the shit out of her. She fell to the ground spasming and I ran to the man nearly in shock by the dumpsters.

"Get out of here, fast!" I shouted in his face. He didn't need much convincing. He ran as fast as his legs could take him out of the alleyway.

When I took her to my father he made arrangements with the few connections he still had and tied her up as we waited for Rene and a few others that made up the ramshackle beginnings of the new Company. I sat there in the living room of the apartment, staring as I watched her smoke a cigarette I'd given her.

"So what's your deal." She said abruptly, breaking the silence.

"Why were you going to do that to that guy?" I asked her. She laughed, dropping the half smoked cigarette onto my dad's wooden floors. She both watched as the cigarette rolled a few inches and laid smoldering on the floor.

"He was harassing me. I told him to fuck off, but he followed me out the door." She tensed her jaw and looked me dead in the eye. "And now I'm here, tied up because nobody's allowed to use their powers when they want to anymore." She squinted her eyes at me accusingly. I shrugged.

"You put people in danger, and we'll have to contain you. You know we can't risk being exposed." I replied cooly. I'd said it enough times by now I nearly believed it.

"We? What's your ability?" She said surprised. I smiled a tight smile and took her cigarette off the ground and took the still lit ember and ground it into the flesh of my hand. She gasped, not expecting me to do that, and watched amazed as the red blistered flesh of my palm turned pink and faded as if nothing had touched it.

"Well that's handy." She muttered, amazed. I scuffed and tossed the cigarette in the trash.

"Whatever." I replied as I sat down again. She continued looking at me, and eventually I got tired of ignoring it.

"What?" I spat at her. She smiled.

"What was her name?" She said, and that cocky little smile really started to piss me off.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I tried to remain tough, but my voice was a little too high pitched to be intimidating.

"Ah... I see. Little secret love affair." She laughed to herself, cruelly. I didn't want her words to get under my skin, but they did.

"You don't know what you're talking about." I insisted, though I knew she could see right through me. She snorted, and rolled her head back so she could look at the ceiling.

"Cute girl like you, you could get anyone you wanted." She said to herself, and I felt the heat come to my face as I really looked at her for the first time. She had chilling blue eyes, delicate features, and long black hair. She was beautiful, I slowly admitted to myself. She looked back at me curiously, cocking an eyebrow.

"You know you could let me out of this chair. I promise I'll be good." I shook myself out of my daze and stood up.

"I'm not that easy to fool." I said to her flippantly. "Let me know if you need anything. They'll be here soon. Don't try any sneaky shit." I walked away quickly, but I could still hear her laughing to herself when I got to my room. I missed Gretchen. It was the only real pain I could feel anymore.


	6. Chapter 6: Reverie

*******Present Day********

"So did you do anything fun and exciting while I was gone? Fight a bad guy or save the world?" Gretchen asked playfully soon after I'd walked through the door and plopped onto her leather sofa. I put a smile on my face and tried to sound a little less moody and jaded--try to see things from her perspective.

"Same thing, more or less. Bag, tag, and let them out into the wild." I sighed for a moment, gathering enthusiasm from deep inside my gut and changed the subject.

"So... how about you?" I asked playfully as I crooked a finger myself so she would stop doing whatever she was doing in the kitchen and sit on the couch. She smiled, turned the heat on the stove down, and walked over to me. She sat daintily and I bit back my laughter. This was the same Gretchen I'd loved since I was 18, but she was a different model. This Gretchen was domestically groomed and sophisticated. Richard must have made her one hell of a Stepford wife. I hid the disgust on my face as she started.

"Well, I dealt with a new account, some big corporate office took out a loan for some kind of project, which I don't really understand. They've got billions of dollars, but they choose to borrow 2.5 million because they've got 'a private project' planned? What kind of shady under dealings is that?" Gretchen breathed in deeply, because saying all that took all the breath she had. I didn't bother to ask who it was that had borrowed the money. I knew I couldn't trust my father not to peddle in my life. He wanted to monitor me, and what better way than go through my girlfriend.

"Something wrong?" Gretchen asked, breaking my thoughts. She had a concerned look on her face and I smiled and took her hand.

"I'm sorry. That is weird, but it's probably better to just not investigate it further, I mean you're a loan officer not a detective." I put on my best poker face as I spoke. She nodded her head in agreement. We sat there in silence for a few moments, until I realized I was still holding her hand. It's kind of amazing how something so little as holding someone's hand in a quiet moment can really start you off. Tingles ran through my fingers and up my arm, spreading a kind of warmth all over me. I turned to look at her sitting a foot away from me, and her eyes didn't meet mine. She was looking at the tv with no indication that she was really watching the program. Her breathing was a bit irregular and I clenched my fingers a little.

"Are you _really_ watching that?" I said huskily. It was some episode of Family Matters, and I happened to know Gretchen got freaked out by Urkle. Gretchen shook her head, and licked her lips, which shot a spark through my nerves to the same place it always did for me. I looked at her through lust hazed eyes; her hair was pulled up professionally, and she looked like anyone from a corporate office world. Her skirt was hiked up just a little bit and the black panty hose she had on ran down her legs to heels that I hadn't even noticed till now. Stilettos. I looked up and saw her looking at me amused.

"You look _really _good right now." I managed to say haughtily before I leaned my body towards hers. She met me in the middle, and as tongues clashed, clothes began to shed off our bodies one layer at a time. She tugged my white tank top off and threw it towards the tv, which covered the screen. I laughed a little into her mouth and then stopped doing anything once her hands were on my exposed breasts.

"She didn't wear a bra." Gretchen whispered to herself, as if I wasn't sitting right there next to her. I just continued pulling her skirt down. When I had her out of her stockings and we were both free of the fabrics that were once between us, I leaned over her and pulled my hair out of it's pony tail. She reached her hand up towards my hair and ran it through her fingers, a look of fascination in her eyes. I realized that making love this time was different. It wasn't just a dirty secret or a one night rendezvous, it was between two people who were together after five years of unnecessary separation. She was looking at me in a way I'd never been looked at before.

"I love you." I said simply, in a kind of amazement, and I realized saying those words felt righter they ever had before with anyone else. She leaned up and kissed me hard, and I reciprocated. I slid my hand down our bodies pressed together and found what I was looking for. She gulped in air as I entered her quickly, and before she could object or try to turn the control over to herself I worked on making her come before me. I wanted her to feel the importance the had in my life. I would put her before me no matter what it was. She rested her hands on my upper arms as I thrust my fingers into her and her head was back against the arm of the couch. There was a loan moan coming from her lips as I really worked against the spot that I really needed to thank Gräfenberg for later. I smiled and began to ride out her orgasm with her. She jerked against me as all the pent up emotions were spent on my fingers. She breathed out, and looked up at me with a fierceness in her eyes that excited the hell out of me. She laid me on my back, and ran her hands down the front of my body.

"Well Miss Claire Bennet, who'd have ever guessed you were a top after all?" She laughed somewhat cruelly before she started running a tongue up my abdominal muscles. I was glad she'd noticed. I had been exercising for a whole year to get those abs. Quickly though, a tongue shook me out of my distracting thoughts. It was a bit of a power play on her part, but I really didn't mind at the moment. Her tongue swept over my clit, and I nearly died. A few fingers and she had me sliding closer to the edge. She got up and ran a tongue over my nipples while continuing her ministrations. This was going to take a little longer for me--with all the stresses of the day, I had a lot more that needed unwinding. She wasn't in practice as much as I was, and I actually enjoyed the fact that she took her time. With most other girls it had been wham bam, but she was getting back on the bike, and her unsteadiness and hesitation was endearing. Eventually she coaxed me into orgasm and I let the waves wash over me as colors flashed behind my eyelids.

"Well count the couch as one of the surfaces we've had sex." I said jokingly after we both caught up with the moment. Gretchen laughed, all the tenseness dissipated from her voice.

"Oh there will be more?" She replied, with humor in her eyes that I rarely saw even 5 years ago.

"So..." She continued, "Can you tell me about what you did when we were apart?" I tapped my finger against her nose and smiled.

"Yeah. Where do you want me to start?"

"Your first girlfriend after me."


	7. Chapter 7: Kiwi Scented Suave

"Cassie was a mistake." I said after a deep breath. Gretchen's brow knit and then she tried to relax it.

"She was what you could call, a rebound. After they deemed her not a threat and released her back into the wild, I found her again and turned the charm on. The relationship was as destructive as you'd expect." Gretchen nodded.

"She's the one who could do the acid hands thing right?" I shook my head in affirmation. "Oh."

"Yeah. It was fraught with the kind of drama that comes par with a lesbian relationship, cept she was into some pretty bad shit and I ended up getting a little entangled in it. I suppose when things ended with her my dad thought I was through with my little experiment." I laughed, bitterly. "I was just getting started. There were no serious relationships after that, just sex. If there could have been drugs, that is, if I could get high in any way possible, that would have been involved too. But as it is, my body just soaks everything up and it doesn't matter what vain you inject into, it doesn't take." Gretchen frowned deeply, and leaned forward, taking my hand. I gripped it tightly and continued.

"I basically stopped taking care of myself. I left home for awhile, looking for something to fill the spot you used to take up, but there wasn't anybody or anything that could replace you. I gave up, and went back home, and I've been working for my father ever since. That's what I've been doing the last five years since graduation." I sighed, and looked up to see concerned brown eyes gazing into mine.

"I'm sorry." She whispered roughly, looking down so I couldn't see her tears.

"Oh no don't be Gretchen, don't be." I wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of my hand and leaned her head toward my lips, kissing her on the top of the head. We stayed like this for a few moments, me holding her as she wept from her misplaced guilt. She knew I didn't blame her for the separation, hell it was partially my idea, but she felt guilty for it all the same. Classic Gretchen, taking on all the blame and beating herself up over things that can't be controlled.

The day came to an end, and that night she clung to me in her sleep, something that seems difficult to accomplish when one person is 5'8 and the other is a meager 5'2, but turns out to be possible if someone is in that much need of reassurance. I enjoyed it actually. I wish I could have Gretchen there wrapped around me for just about the rest of my life.

That night the dreams were strange. Abstract images of my childhood and memories of Gretchen intermingled with some imagined scenarios that would never happen--such as marriage and children and a future my father was involved in. I woke up at three in the morning slightly off put. I hadn't dreamt or even let myself imagine a future like that with anybody. Not for a long long time. I shook the thoughts from my head and forced myself back to sleep with Gretchen's warm breaths on my shoulder to lull me.

"Good morning." Gretchen said softly as I awoke. She was dressed for work again, hair neatly brushed and styled, while in comparison my bed head must have been epic. I smiled at her and told her I was just going to spend the rest of the day in bed. She seemed to think it was alright and left just barely in time for work, choosing to waste precious minutes kissing me until there was just no more time left. When the door clicked closed, I lay back on the bed and pondered my future. What was I going to do when this little vacation was over and I had to go back to my life in California? Would my dad even consider letting me move to Austin while still under his employment? There was no hiding Gretchen from him, and I didn't want to anyhow. The days left to spend with her were too few, and I began to feel nauseous. I could at the most stay two weeks. I closed my eyes and tried to dream everything away, and just enjoy being in Gretchen's bed, with sheets that smell like her and the shampoo she's used since I knew her in college.


End file.
